Did Speeding and Distraction Cause a Fiery I-40 Truck Accident?

On Tuesday May 7, 2019, what turned out to be a deadly tractor-trailer crash occurred on Interstate 40 in McDowell County. A FedEx truck crashed into the rear end of another tractor-trailer because vehicles had slowed for an accident ahead, according to WECT.com. The FedEx truck pushed the tractor-trailer into two other vehicles, it sustained heavy damage and caught fire. Coverage from WWAY.com reports that the FedEx truck failed to reduce speed when it came upon the vehicles that had slowed down because of an incident ahead on the highway. The truck was traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour on impact. The FedEx driver reportedly died at the scene, but there were no other injuries, and no one involved was transported by EMS.

This tragic crash seems to have been a result of two preventable factors that cause many traffic accidents: distraction and speeding. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reports that 3,994 of 532,079 total traffic crashes were caused by driver distraction. The distractions included cell phones, electronic devices, other passengers in the vehicle, something external to the vehicle.

NCDOT reports that 31.9% of traffic fatalities were related to speeding in a recent year. There were 91,603 traffic accidents with 445 being fatal and 46,589 injuries. We read traffic statistics and may be horrified or shocked at the numbers, but to make it more tangible, it is as if each year, every resident of Wake Forest, NC (pop. 46,133) was injured in a car crash because of speeding.

Truck drivers are professionals and they have a great responsibility to drive their massive trucks with courtesy for the other drivers with whom they share the road, and to obey the law. Speeding can be characterized as either exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions. If the posted speed limit for the highway was 65, then driving at 70 miles per hour is not terribly egregious, however, when every vehicle on the road ahead has slowed down to a stop-and-go crawl because of an accident ahead, 70 mph is a deadly fast speed. When you couple the fact that the driver was likely distracted by something if he or she failed to notice the slowdown in traffic up ahead, speeding while distracted from the task of driving turned out to be a fatal combination for the FedEx driver.

Every driver owes a duty of care to the drivers with whom they share the road to obey the traffic laws. Each of us is operating a deadly machine capable of causing a great deal of destruction if it is not managed appropriately. When one driver’s negligence causes injury to others, he or she can be held accountable for the damages he or she causes. In crashes with commercial trucks, there may be other liable parties, too, such as the trucking company.

If you have been injured in a truck accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, the Charlotte truck accident lawyers at Warren & Kallianos, PLLC are here to fight for justice for you. We demand fair compensation from truckers and truck companies who are responsible for your pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle damage. You may schedule your free case consultation by calling 704-275-5593 or completing our contact form.

Our Case Results

$4.5 million

Trucking Accident, Wrongful Death - Settlement for a client whose wife and unborn child died when their vehicle was hit head on by a dump truck that negligently crossed the centerline of the roadway.

Warren & Kallianos, PLLC

2018-09-27T20:49:39+00:00

Trucking Accident, Wrongful Death - Settlement for a client whose wife and unborn child died when their vehicle was hit head on by a dump truck that negligently crossed the centerline of the roadway.

https://www.warren-kallianos.com/testimonials/4-5-million/

$4 million

Settlement for client who sustained catastrophic burn injuries due to an arc flash explosion while working on an energized electrical panel at the defendant’s manufacturing facility in Charlotte, NC. Settlement also included waiver of the worker’s compensation lien on the settlement funds and continuation of benefits.

Warren & Kallianos, PLLC

2018-09-28T16:20:09+00:00

Settlement for client who sustained catastrophic burn injuries due to an arc flash explosion while working on an energized electrical panel at the defendant’s manufacturing facility in Charlotte, NC. Settlement also included waiver of the worker’s compensation lien on the settlement funds and continuation of benefits.

https://www.warren-kallianos.com/testimonials/4-million/

$2.5 Million

Settlement for client who sustained severe injuries, including a head injury and multiple orthopedic injuries, after being struck in a crosswalk by a drunk driver.

Warren & Kallianos, PLLC

2018-10-15T12:39:39+00:00

Settlement for client who sustained severe injuries, including a head injury and multiple orthopedic injuries, after being struck in a crosswalk by a drunk driver.

https://www.warren-kallianos.com/testimonials/2-5-million/

$3 Million

Settlement for client who sustained a gunshot injury to her spine in a robbery outside a business establishment in Charlotte. The business was sued for failing to provide adequate security for its customers.

Warren & Kallianos, PLLC

2018-10-15T12:38:50+00:00

Settlement for client who sustained a gunshot injury to her spine in a robbery outside a business establishment in Charlotte. The business was sued for failing to provide adequate security for its customers.

https://www.warren-kallianos.com/testimonials/3-million/

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Testimonials

I would highly recommend Mr. Kallianos and his staff

"Chris Kallianos has been such a blessing to our family during this trying time! He has done an excellent job in making sure we are informed of what is going on with our case. I would highly recommend Mr. Kallianos and his staff if you have a personal injury you are dealing with. We truly appreciate all of your hard work! Best lawyer around!"

Client

Warren & Kallianos

5.0

2018-10-07T23:25:16+00:00

Client

"Chris Kallianos has been such a blessing to our family during this trying time! He has done an excellent job in making sure we are informed of what is going on with our case. I would highly recommend Mr. Kallianos and his staff if you have a personal injury you are dealing with. We truly appreciate all of your hard work! Best lawyer around!"

Committed Personal Injury Attorneys

"Having worked with both Chris and Jeff, as well as their office staff, I can say with confidence that they are the most sincere, committed personal injury attorneys I have ever met. They are passionate about making sure their clients get a fair settlement, and are sympathetic to the disruption and even trauma that the whole process can create. It helps that they are a small team, and everyone knows the clients and their situations."

Client

Warren & Kallianos

5.0

2018-09-28T23:52:45+00:00

Client

"Having worked with both Chris and Jeff, as well as their office staff, I can say with confidence that they are the most sincere, committed personal injury attorneys I have ever met. They are passionate about making sure their clients get a fair settlement, and are sympathetic to the disruption and even trauma that the whole process can create. It helps that they are a small team, and everyone knows the clients and their situations."

I recommend them to everyone.

"Great people to help me with my case, Great Lawyer and Paralegals. they always answered the phone, always had a response for my question. I recommend them to everyone. they also have someone that speaks Spanish (for my parents) I am thankful for everything and time that they give me. thank you so much, God bless."

Client

Warren & Kallianos

5.0

2018-10-07T23:27:01+00:00

Client

"Great people to help me with my case, Great Lawyer and Paralegals. they always answered the phone, always had a response for my question. I recommend them to everyone. they also have someone that speaks Spanish (for my parents) I am thankful for everything and time that they give me. thank you so much, God bless."

I would definitely recommend them to any and every one!

"We were referred to Jeff Warren from another attorney and had a great experience with my son’s medical injury case/settlement, I have always been hesitant about personal injury lawsuit’s and attorneys but Jeff and his practice made the whole process easy and stress free from the beginning to the end. I would definitely recommend them to any and every one!!! We are very grateful to Jeff and his staff for all their patience and knowledge."

Client

Warren & Kallianos

5.0

2018-10-07T23:22:13+00:00

Client

"We were referred to Jeff Warren from another attorney and had a great experience with my son’s medical injury case/settlement, I have always been hesitant about personal injury lawsuit’s and attorneys but Jeff and his practice made the whole process easy and stress free from the beginning to the end. I would definitely recommend them to any and every one!!! We are very grateful to Jeff and his staff for all their patience and knowledge."

Not sure how we would have managed without this Law Firm

"Not sure how we would have managed without this Law Firm. They have been extremely compassionate about my husbands injury causing disability – which has been a life changing event for our family. They are always available to talk with us no matter when we call. They have kept us up to date regarding the case, which has kept us from worrying. I would recommend this Law Firm to anyone who needs legal help."

Client

Warren & Kallianos

5.0

2018-10-07T23:29:03+00:00

Client

"Not sure how we would have managed without this Law Firm. They have been extremely compassionate about my husbands injury causing disability – which has been a life changing event for our family. They are always available to talk with us no matter when we call. They have kept us up to date regarding the case, which has kept us from worrying. I would recommend this Law Firm to anyone who needs legal help."

The verdicts and settlements set forth above were obtained by our law firm from 1992 to the present. In most cases, liability and/or damages were contested, the adverse parties were represented by counsel, and the matters involved complex factual and/or legal issues. All verdicts obtained were collected. These cases are illustrative of the matters handled by our firm, and not all case results are provided. The case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Please note that prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.